The Wayne State College men’s basketball team saw four players and head coach Jeff Kaminsky receive post season honors as the Northern Sun Conference announced the 2020-21 NSIC Men’s Basketball All-Conference Teams.
Junior forward Jordan Janssen was voted NSIC South Division Player of the Year and was a First Team South Division selection for a second straight season, freshman guard Justin Eagins was named South Division Freshman of the Year, junior guard Nate Mohr received Second Team accolades and freshman guard Alec Millender was voted South Division honorable mention while Jeff Kaminsky was announced as the NSIC South Division Coach of the Year.
Janssen, a 6-7 forward, led the Wildcats in scoring and rebounding this season producing 15.8 points (12th-NSIC) and 9.8 rebounds (2nd-NSIC) per contest. He scored double figures in 15 of 16 games and had nine double-doubles, which is tied for third in NCAA Division II this season. Janssen was named NSIC South Division Player of the Week three times this season for the Wildcats and also ranks tied for sixth in blocked shots per game (1.4), eighth in field goal percentage (.523) and tied for 11th in assists per game (3.3).
Eagins, a 6-3 redshirt freshman guard, was named South Division Freshman of the Year after averaging 9.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in 14 contests this season, recording seven games of 10 or more points. He was a steady scorer all season off the Wildcat bench, scoring a season-high 16 points in a 85-68 win over Minnesota State January 15th and had 13 points in back-to-back Wildcat wins at Southwest Minnesota State February 20-21. Eagins shot 43.9 percent (47-107) from the field, 38.8 percent from 3-point range (26-67) and 84.6 percent (11-13) at the free throw line.
Mohr, a 6-2 junior guard, earned Second Team South Division honors after recording 12.8 points and 2.3 assists per game. He led WSC in 3-point field goals this season with 36 and is tied for eighth in the NSIC averaging 2.3 per game. Mohr scored double figures in 13 of 16 games this season, highlighted by a career-best 22 points in an 85-68 win over Minnesota State January 15. He also produced 21 points in Sunday’s NSIC South Division clinching 82-70 win at Augustana. For the season, Mohr shot 44.2 percent from the field (72-163), 45 percent from the 3-point line (36-80) and 92.6 percent (25-27) at the free throw line.
Millender, a 6-2 freshman, received South Division honorable mention averaging 10.5 points and 2.2 assists per game with nine games in double figures. He scored a season-best 21 points in a 84-78 win at Winona State January 30 and accounted for 19 points in a 60-57 loss at Augustana February 20. He handed out six assists each in wins at Southwest Minnesota State February 12 and at Augustana February 21. For the season, Millender shot 51.9 percent (56-108) from the floor, 47.6 percent (20-42) from the 3-point line and 90 percent (36-40) at the free throw line.
Kaminsky earned the NSIC South Division Coach of the Year honor after leading the team to a second NSIC South Division title in the last three years (shared in 2018-19 with Augustana and Minnesota State) after being picked to finish last in the South Division Preseason Coaches’ poll entering this season. Under Kaminsky, the Wildcats improved on their win total in each of the first three seasons and led the NSIC this season in scoring defense (66.1) and field goal percentage defense (.404).
Wayne State is 10-6 overall and 10-4 in the NSIC South Division and will enter the NSIC Sanford Health Men’s Basketball Tournament this week as the top seed from the South Division. The Wildcats meet St. Cloud State Thursday evening at 7 p.m. in the Sanford Pentagon.
